Champions Dortmund held as Eintracht Frankfurt set early Bundesliga pace

By

Updated 1656 GMT (0056 HKT) September 1, 2012

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

Eintracht Frankfurt's players salute the crowd after their 4-0 win at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga

Story highlights

Champions Borussia Dortmund held 1-1 at Nuremberg

Jakub Blaszczykowski scores equalizer for Dortmund

Newly promoted Eintracht Frankfurt setting early pace

Klass-Jan Huntelaar scores in 3-0 Schalke win

Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund were held 1-1 at Nuremberg as newly promoted Eintracht Frankfurt set the pace after a 4-0 win over nine-man Hoffenheim Saturday.

Dortmund were expected to secure their second win of the season, but fell behind just after the half hour mark as Czech star Tomas Pekhart headed home for Nuremberg.

The visitors were level before halftime when Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowski equalized from close range but they were unable to grab a winner in the second half.

Frankfurt continued their dream start back in the German top flight by following last weekend's 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen with a rout of hosts Hoffenheim.

Alexander Meier and Pirmin Schwegler gave Frankfurt a 2-0 lead by the interval.

Photos:Top European football transfers

Photos:Top European football transfers

Maicon -- undisclosed fee – From Inter Milan to Manchester City: The reigning English Premier League champions have snapped up right-back Maicon for an undisclosed fee to help boost their bid for domestic and European honors in 2013. The Brazilian international has been at the San Siro for the past six seasons and made 235 appearances for the club.

Hide Caption

1 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Rafael van der Vaart -- $16 million – Spurs to Hamburg: The Dutch international returns to the Bundesliga after a successful two-year spell at the north London club. Van der Vaart played for Hamburg from 2005 to 2008 before joining Spanish champions Real Madrid.

Hide Caption

2 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Dimitar Berbatov -- undisclosed fee – Manchester United to Fulham: With the arrival of Robin van Persie from Arsenal earlier this month, the chances of Dimitar Berbatov playing even more of a bit part at Old Trafford have only increased. Fulham have been the benefactors of Alex Ferguson's growing indifference to the player he signed for $47 million from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008. The 31-year-old Bulgarian rejected suitors in Italy, notably Juventus and Fiorentina, to stay in the English Premier League.

Hide Caption

3 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Lucas Moura - $55M – Sao Paulo to Paris Saint-GermainThe $55 million paid by PSG for 19-year-old midfielder Lucas Moura broke the Brazilian transfer record for the third time this year, eclipsing the fee the French club spent on Thiago Silva and Chelsea's deal for Oscar. He will move to Paris in January, becoming the sixth Brazilian at the club.

Hide Caption

4 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Thiago Silva - $50.75M – AC Milan to Paris Saint-GermainAt $50.75 million, Thiago Silva is the world's most expensive defender in terms of upfront transfer fees -- though the largest including add-ons remains Rio Ferdinand's move from Leeds to Manchester United, which eventually rose to $150,000 more than the Brazilian's total). The 27-year-old spent three years in Italy with AC Milan and is an established international.

Luka Modric - $50M – Tottenham to Real MadridLuka Modric completed his long-awaited switch from English club Tottenham Hotspur to Spanish champions Real Madrid for a reported $50 million. After attempting to force a transfer ahead of the 2011-12 season, the Croatian has finally got his move away from White Hart Lane.

Hide Caption

7 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Eden Hazard - $49.5M – Lille to ChelseaEyebrows may have been raised upon seeing the size of the $49.5 million transfer fee Chelsea paid for Eden Hazard, but the 21-year-old Belgium winger is one of Europe's biggest talents, having being selected for the Ligue 1 Team of the Year three times in a row.

Hide Caption

8 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Oscar - $39.25M – Internacional to ChelseaAfter a protracted saga of a transfer, Chelsea finally gave in to Internacional president Giovanni Luigi's demands and paid a Brazilian transfer record $39.25 million for 20-year-old midfielder Oscar. Only time will tell if the talented young playmaker is worth the money, but with so many creative options at Roberto di Matteo's disposal he may well have to make an immediate impact or risk spending a season on the bench.

Hide Caption

9 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Robin van Persie - $37.5M – Arsenal to Manchester United Robin van Persie, the English Premier League's top scorer last season, stunned Arsenal fans by joining rivals United for $37 million after refusing to sign a new contract.

Hide Caption

10 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Ezequiel Lavezzi - $36.25M – Napoli to Paris Saint-GermainArgentina international forward Ezequiel Lavezzi arrives at PSG with a $36.25 million price tag and a big reputation following his five years in Italy. He will link up with another former Serie A star in Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Hide Caption

11 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Shinji Kagawa - $26.25M – Borussia Dortmund to Manchester UnitedThose who cynically write off $26.25 million signing Shinji Kagawa as nothing more than a ploy to boost United shirt sales in Asia do so at their own peril -- the 23-year-old is a top-level player with excellent credentials: two Bundesliga titles, one German Cup, an Asian Cup and more than 30 appearances for Japan.

Hide Caption

12 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Jack Rodwell - $24M – Everton to Manchester CityYoung England international Jack Rodwell was Roberto Mancini's first signing since winning Manchester City's first English league title in 43 years. At $24 million he is far from the most expensive player at the Etihad Stadium, but the highly-rated 21-year-old midfielder is seen as a long-term investment.

Hide Caption

13 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - $24M – AC Milan to Paris Saint-GermainUntil last season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic had won the league eight years in a row with five different clubs. The Sweden striker's $24 million move to PSG pushed him further ahead of Nicolas Anelka as the most expensive player of all time, with total transfers of more than $210 million.

Hide Caption

14 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Alex Song - $23.7M – Arsenal to BarcelonaFor the second year in a row, a key Arsenal player has been lured to Spain by Barcelona. Last August it was Cesc Fabregas, this time it's Cameroon midfielder Alex Song. The 25-year-old moved for $23.7 million on a five-year contract, with a release clause of $100 million.

Hide Caption

15 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Santi Cazorla - $23.5M – Malaga to ArsenalSpain star Santi Cazorla was one of Malaga's marquee signings last season, but is the first of the troubled Spanish club's high-profile players to depart in the midst of financial problems. The winger's $23.5 million fee is similar what he cost when joining from Villarreal.

Hide Caption

16 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Marco Reus - $21M – Borussia Monchengladbach to Borussia DortmundFinishing fourth in both goals scored and assists last season, Marco Reus almost single-handedly pushed Borussia Monchengladbach to a fourth-place finish in Germany and Champions League football. Champions Dortmund see the 23-year-old, who cost $21 million, as the ideal replacement for Shinji Kagawa -- and if his brief appearances at Euro 2012 are anything to go by he could become much more.

Hide Caption

17 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Luuk de Jong - $18.5M – FC Twente to Borussia MonchengladbachAfter much interest from all corners of Europe, FC Twente's top-scoring target man Luuk de Jong decided to join Borussia Monchengladbach in an $18. 5 million deal. The 21-year-old, who scored 25 goals in 32 appearances last season, went to Euro 2012 but did not appear for the Netherlands.

Hide Caption

18 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Olivier Giroud - $18.5M – Montpellier to ArsenalWith the eyes of the English Premier League's fans firmly set on the Robin Van Persie transfer saga, many have neglected the man coming in to replace him -- $18.5 million France international Olivier Giroud. For all the money PSG spent last season, it was Giroud and his 21 goals which spurred underdogs Montpellier to a first Ligue 1 title.

Hide Caption

19 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Jordi Alba - $17M – Valencia to BarcelonaNew Barca boss Tito Villanova acted quickly to fill the gap left since Eric Abidal's liver transplant, bringing in Spain's Euro 2012 surprise standout player Jordi Alba for a bargain $17 million to fill the left-back slot before the tournament had even finished.

Lukas Podolski - $15.75M – FC Cologne to ArsenalLukas Podolski has left his childhood club Cologne for the second time, having struggled to make an impression at Bayern Munich following his 2006 transfer. The Germany star cost Arsenal $15.75 million after scoring 18 Bundesliga goals last season -- which was not enough for "the Billy Goats" to avoid relegation.

Hide Caption

22 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Mario Mandzukic - $15.75m – Vfl Wolfsburg to Bayern MunichA surprise star of Euro 2012, Mario Mandzukic scored three times in three games for Croatia to be the tournament's equal top scorer. Bayern paid Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg $15.75 million for the 26-year-old striker's services.

Hide Caption

23 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Jan Vertonghen - $11.5M – Ajax to Tottenham HotspurBelgium international Jan Vertonghen is already being touted by Tottenham fans as the long-term replacement for injury-plagued former captain Ledley King in the center of defense. His protracted $11.5 million transfer could prove key to the fortunes of new Spurs boss Andre-Villas Boas.

Hide Caption

24 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Cesar Azpilicueta - $11m – Marseille to ChelseaChelsea took its spending in the current transfer window to over $100m with the signing of Spanish full back Cesar Azpilicueta from French team Marseille.

Hide Caption

25 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Marko Marin - $9.5M – Werder Bremen to ChelseaGermany midfielder Marko Marin agreed his $9.5 million move to Chelsea before last season had even finished, and the 23-year-old is expected to make a big impact for the European champions with the skills that have seen him dubbed "the German Messi."

Hide Caption

26 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Cassano/Pazzini - Swap – AC Milan to InternazionaleAntonio Cassano has left AC Milan to join city rivals Inter, while fellow Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini went in the other direction. Milan had to pay a reported $8.7 million extra for Pazzini, who at 28 is two years younger than his former Sampdoria teammate. Cassano, meanwhile, recovered from heart surgery to help Italy reach the final of Euro 2012.

Hide Caption

27 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Diego Forlan - Free transfer – Internazionale to InternacionalDiego Forlan struggled to impress in his one season in Italy after seven prolific years in Spain's top flight, but the 33-year-old Uruguay striker could prove to be a free-transfer bargain in Brazil for Internacional. He was named best player at the 2010 World Cup, where he was joint top scorer, and has led the goal charts twice in Europe.

Hide Caption

28 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Riccardo Montolivo - Free transfer – Fiorentina to AC MilanMidfielder Riccardo Montolivo agreed to join Milan on a free transfer before helping Italy reach the final of Euro 2012, having spent seven years at Fiorentina.

Hide Caption

29 of 30

Photos:Top European football transfers

Nurhi Sahin - Season loan – Real Madrid to Liverpool Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin failed to impress in in his one season at Real Madrid after being snapped up from German champions Borussia Dortmund, and has been given the chance to kickstart his career in the English Premier League.

Hide Caption

30 of 30

Hoffenheim's hopes of a recovery were ended when midfielder Sejad Salihovic and defender Stephan Schroeck were shown red in quick succession, both for second yellow cards.

Meier grabbed his second from the penalty spot and Martin Lanig headed home a fourth for the visitors.

"I would be disappointed if we aren't German champions now," Frankfurt coach Armin Veh said with tongue in cheek after their fine win.

The Royal Blues of Schalke joined Dortmund on four points from two games with a 3-1 home win over Augsburg.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos headed them ahead on 33 minutes before United States midfielder Jermaine Jones grabbed the second just after the break.

The third was scored by Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with a header before Augsburg's late consolation from Torsten Oehrl.

Leverkusen secured their first points with a 2-0 win at home to Freiburg, while Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart, who has rejoined Hamburg from Tottenham Hotspur, watched from the stands as his new team lost 2-0 at Werder Bremen in the north German derby.

Bavarian giants Bayern Munich are in action Sunday against Stuttgart looking to back up their opening day win.